# How many bowls to ghost a pipe?



## lbiislander (Oct 15, 2010)

ipe:For those of you who haven't been following my (mis)adventures, I finally bought my first pipe, a Savinelli 606. How many tobaccos can I try before any with latakia start ghosting in the bowls?


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## owaindav (Mar 7, 2010)

It can only take one bowl with some tobaccos.


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## CWL (Mar 25, 2010)

This is like asking "how much paint do I need to use for you to see it on the wall?" 

It's easier to put-in than to take-out. Moisture and smoke particulates gets absorbed into the wood and goes deeper becoming more concentrated with each additional use. 

Early-on, you can probably get rid of most of it with a "salt & alcohol" bowl treatment, but don't wait too long if you want to dedicate it to some other blend of tobacco.

ps. I noticed that you are testing multiple tobaccos in one sitting at the tobacco shop, presumably in this one pipe. All that will do is to make your bowl taste like the worst part of every blend and none of the best. Go get yourself some cobs for testing.


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## lbiislander (Oct 15, 2010)

CWL said:


> This is like asking "how much paint do I need to use for you to see it on the wall?"
> 
> It's easier to put-in than to take-out. Moisture and smoke particulates gets absorbed into the wood and goes deeper becoming more concentrated with each additional use.
> 
> ...


Thanks. I did use it to try 3 different samples, 1 only a few puffs before I dumped it.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

I guess I'm going to be a contrarian here, but I say relax, smoke, experiment, enjoy and don't stress the details too much. If the pipe is for you the day will come soon when you'll have more pipes than you know what to do with (don't ask me how I know this.) Frankly, as a newbie you are probably just getting the basics on each type of tobacco and will miss most of the subtleness to the blends anyway. When I bought my first briar I smoked different blends and types in the same pipe and I found that if I reamed back any cake and smoked a new type of tobacco the ghosts disappeared after a few bowls even for strongly ghosting tobaccos like some of the pefumy lakelands and Red Rapperee. Perhaps my tastebuds aren't as sophisticated or sensitive as most pipe smokers. I'm not saying that multiple pipes for different blends is a bad idea (of course it is preferred) but as a beginner I say focus on getting your technique down and enjoying the experience. Who knows, you might enjoy latakia, lakeland, cherry, Grey Havens flavored tobacco! 

I feel the same way about the endless worrying that most newbies do about resting pipes. From what you read you'd think that if you smoked two bowls in a row your pipe will turn into a soggy mess. Well, maybe...but then again Eric at tamp and puff intentionally tried to ruin a pipe by smoking it relentlessly and found if he ran a pipe cleaner through the pipe while smoking and after his pipe smoked clean and dry even when smoked continuously.

Anyway, do what makes you feel most comfortable. I know I am in the minority on this but just wanted to give you a different opinion.


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## drastic_quench (Sep 12, 2008)

lbiislander said:


> Thanks. I did use it to try 3 different samples, 1 only a few puffs before I dumped it.




Some of the best tobaccos develop and change throughout the bowl, so it's a disservice to sample them in just a few moments as one would wine.

I really recommend at least one cob for sampling until you find a style of tobacco you want in your briar.


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## Fritzchen (Nov 18, 2009)

indigosmoke said:


> I guess I'm going to be a contrarian here, but I say relax, smoke, experiment, enjoy and don't stress the details too much. If the pipe is for you the day will come soon when you'll have more pipes than you know what to do with (don't ask me how I know this.) Frankly, as a newbie you are probably just getting the basics on each type of tobacco and will miss most of the subtleness to the blends anyway. When I bought my first briar I smoked different blends and types in the same pipe and I found that if I reamed back any cake and smoked a new type of tobacco the ghosts disappeared after a few bowls even for strongly ghosting tobaccos like some of the pefumey lakelands and Red Rapperee. I'm not saying that mulitple pipes for different blends is a bad idea (of course it is preferred) but as a beginner I say focus on getting your technique down and enjoying the experience. I feel the same way about the endless worrying that most newbies do about resting pipes. From what you read you'd think that if you smoked two bowls in a row your pipe will turn into a soggy mess. Well, maybe...but then again Eric at tamp and puff intentionally tried to ruin a pipe by smoking it relentlessly and found if he ran a pipe cleaner through the pipe while smoking and after his pipe smoked clean and dry even when smoked continuously.
> 
> Anyway, do what makes you feel most comfortable. I know I am in the minority on this but just wanted to give you a different opinion.


+1

Well said, John.

Minority or not, I would say that it is the voice of reason.

I would only add that if you did pick up a rather obnoxiously persistent demon in your pipe, a few bowls of straight burley should exorcise that bad boy right out of there.

Aged Burley Flake anyone? Or even a plain, good 'ol drugstore "codger burley" would do the trick.

Best Regards,
Steve


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## lbiislander (Oct 15, 2010)

No worries about smoking too often, I don't have the time. But I appreciate a different point of view!


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## ChronoB (Nov 4, 2007)

lbiislander said:


> ipe:For those of you who haven't been following my (mis)adventures, I finally bought my first pipe, a Savinelli 606. How many tobaccos can I try before any with latakia start ghosting in the bowls?


Personally, I believe the problem of ghosting is overstated. I have a rotation of pipes, and I smoke whatever I like in each without any problem. Granted, almost everything I smoke has latakia in it. But I do enjoy the occasional Virginia/Perique, and I never have a problem with ghosting. What you want to avoid is any dottle from the last bowl that might have contained latakia.

I do use a smell test with my pipes. If I don't like the way it smells, time to clean it with some golden grain. If you routinely clean your pipe then ghosting will rarely be an issue. Oh, and don't be paranoid about building up the cake in the bowl. Its importance is also overstated, and it will happen naturally over time anyway.

Now, I can understand how someone really sensitive to, or with a great dislike of latakia could detect even the smallest amount of ghosting in a bowl. But if they don't like it, what is it doing in their pipes? If you like it, then it won't be a problem for you.

If you're talking about aromatic ghosting, I assume that happens almost immediately. I don't smoke them, so I can't help with that.

Regardless, very soon you will succumb to lady nicotine and will be purchasing more pipes, so it won't bee an issue


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## Mitch (Oct 2, 2009)

I would agree with not worrying. But I wouldn't mix Latakia and Perique tobaccos in the same pipe.


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## Davetopay (Jan 19, 2008)

owaindav said:


> It can only take one bowl with some tobaccos.


Had it happen. It was a big PITA to get it out too. Brand new pipe, tried some 'baccy I had never had before and it took MANY bowl to get past the stink of that partial bowl I dumped out.out:


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

indigosmoke said:


> I guess I'm going to be a contrarian here, but I say relax, smoke, experiment, enjoy and don't stress the details too much. If the pipe is for you the day will come soon when you'll have more pipes than you know what to do with (don't ask me how I know this.) Frankly, as a newbie you are probably just getting the basics on each type of tobacco and will miss most of the subtleness to the blends anyway. When I bought my first briar I smoked different blends and types in the same pipe and I found that if I reamed back any cake and smoked a new type of tobacco the ghosts disappeared after a few bowls even for strongly ghosting tobaccos like some of the pefumy lakelands and Red Rapperee. Perhaps my tastebuds aren't as sophisticated or sensitive as most pipe smokers. I'm not saying that multiple pipes for different blends is a bad idea (of course it is preferred) but as a beginner I say focus on getting your technique down and enjoying the experience. Who knows, you might enjoy latakia, lakeland, cherry, Grey Havens flavored tobacco!
> 
> I feel the same way about the endless worrying that most newbies do about resting pipes. From what you read you'd think that if you smoked two bowls in a row your pipe will turn into a soggy mess. Well, maybe...but then again Eric at tamp and puff intentionally tried to ruin a pipe by smoking it relentlessly and found if he ran a pipe cleaner through the pipe while smoking and after his pipe smoked clean and dry even when smoked continuously.
> 
> Anyway, do what makes you feel most comfortable. I know I am in the minority on this but just wanted to give you a different opinion.


I agree 100%!


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## Nachman (Oct 16, 2010)

I had a Latakia dedicated pipe that I sweetened with 12 yr old bourbon and then used it for a perique pipe. It seems fine to me, but I guess I am not very sophisticated. To paraphrase an old hippie adage, If it tastes good, do it.


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## mbearer (Jun 2, 2010)

Well still a newbie here (5 or so months) but I only hit ghosting once. I had some 1792 in my "old codger" dedicated pipe and man it tasted like PA and 1792... Was actually kind of interesting  

I have a bunch of cobs for sampling (and tambo... that Tambo cob just REAKS of tambo I love it hehe) but I have limited briars (most of them basket) 

What I do is I have (2) pipes for Va/Pers, (1) English, (1) VA, (1) Burley. Anything with Latakia goes into my english pipe and I rotate blends around pretty frequently and haven't noticed to much of ghosting with them. 
Mike


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